That Time When We Switched Places
by Hairi Esh Mooncake
Summary: When a witch was trying to get Katherine inside Elena's body, Bonnie was there trying to counter her magic. But when two strong enough magic forces collide, something is bound to get messed up. Season 1 and Season 5 get mixed together in a strangest ways possible.
1. Chapter 1

**Okay, so I think I'm on the roll of inspiration. And this fic was in my mind for a while now I just never tried going about writing it. But here it is. Try it out, I'm interested in knowing what you think about it ^^ **

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><p>She sighed at the feeling of his hands around her. It was at moments like these when she was still surprised by the fact that their time was finally <em>right.<em> That they could finally just _be_ together. She let out a protesting sound. "Maybe I should just forget about college. Staying like this is more than enough for me." She pulled herself closer to the warmth she was getting from him.

But instead of a teasing remark of how he would be more than glad to take her upon her decision and not let her out of their bedroom for a couple years more, she heard a chuckle. A wrong _kind_ of chuckle coming from behind her.

"Well, good thing that there are still a few years left till college."

She re-entangled herself from his arms at once, sitting up.

"Stefan! Oh my god." She hurried to get out of the bed and nearly tripped on her own feet. _That was weird._ "What're you doing here?"

"Sleeping," Stefan replied with a suspicion in his eyes.

Elena's eyes widened. "Sl-sleeping, Stefan you can't, I can't…." She felt a chill run down her spine and she finally noticed her attire. She was barely in anything. And in bed with _Stefan_. She quickly looked around to find any possible cloth she could find to put on and her heart sank to her toes when she saw shredded clothes, _her_ clothes, around the room. Desperately trying to not overthink it, she quickly put her jeans on.

"Elena? What's the matter? Are you okay?" Stefan was sitting in the middle of his bed, looking at Elena like she had grown two heads.

"No no. Why am I in your bedroom, Stefan? And when did you even get back?" She found her sweater some steps away and picked it up.

"Back from what?"

Elena looked at the ground, her brow furrowed. "I don't know. You skipped town, Stefan!" she cried out in desperation and put the long-sleeved cloth on her.

"Well well well. Isn't this nice and cosy?" A casual voice echoed inside the room. Elena's eyes shot to meet the piercing blue eyes and she stopped, frozen in place.

"Damon."

Damon knit his brows together in confusion when he picked up on the increase of her blood pressure, her hurriedly put on clothes and her obvious space between her and his baby bro.

"What _did_ you do to her, dear brother?" He asked with a smirk, casually leaning on the door frame. Well well well. If the happy couple was already having troubles, it would all be just too fun to see.

"Elena? What's going on?" Stefan was starting to get out of the bed and carefully reaching out for her but she didn't let him come too close.

"Wha-what's going on?" Elena turned to look at him in disbelief. "God, Stefan, how can you even say that now?" She paced about inside the room, her hand on her forehead. "I can't believe this's happening to me. I… I wouldn't let this happen." She said in a firm resolve. She was a mess inside but she forced herself to believe in what she knew was true. And her waking up in Stefan's bed wasn't one of those things. Not anymore.

"Elena, what're you talking about?" Stefan was seriously concerned now and he only wanted to make Elena relax but each time he approached her, she took a step away.

"Well, I'm sorry to interrupt your _lovers drama_, but we've got no time to waste. We've lots to do, now that we're all _friends_ and working toward a common goal," Damon finished sarcastically. Stefan turned towards Elena to gauge her reaction but her eyes were firmly locked to Damon's, looking as if it was hard for her to understand what was Damon going on about.

She was looking so intensely at him that Damon almost couldn't breathe at one moment. She never looked at him that way. What exactly was going on? And if today wasn't the day he waited most for over a hundred of years, he might have stopped to ponder over that fact. But he had more important things to attend now. So he pushed himself away from the door frame and went inside the room.

"So, in order to open the tomb, we need to find the journal to get the grimoire to undo the spells." He put his hands in an all-business manner, pointing at Elena. "First things first- since you're Elena _Gilbert_, you're on journal duty."

Elena shook her head as if her swirling thoughts could find the right place in her head. "Hold on. Tomb? What do you need it opened for?"

Damon looked at her with a non-impressed expression on his face. "Look, if it's one of your ways to back out of our plan to get the tomb opened, then forget it. That's not going to happen. Either _we _or _I,_ am going to get her out."

"Her?" Elena asked when it hit her. _The tomb._ She raised her eyebrows in disbelief. "You mean Katherine?"

"Yes, _Elena_," Damon stressed her name out sarcastically. "Glad you remember that part."

Elena blinked a few times, her eyes widening and shrinking as she tried to make sense of all of this. "No no no. This's not making any sense. Why would we be trying to get Katherine out of the tomb, _again_?"

"I believe I have no idea what are you talking about, Elena. But the lucky day is _today_." He looked at her pointedly and she could feel her heart sink to her stomach. He looked so… aloof. So out of her reach. She hated each second of that.

"No, Damon,_ please_. I know how this must look like." She gestured vaguely towards Stefan. "But believe me, nothing happened. It's true I don't know how I got here, but it just couldn't have happened." She tried a step toward him, but he stopped her in her tracks.

"Elena, I can _assure you_, that whatever business you take to into your love nest, I have no mind to care for. So, chop chop." He clapped his hands to indicate the urgency and started walking out of the room.

"Damon, wait."

Elena couldn't let him go like this. She tried to speed up over him but was stopped by a single step. Which she made. A single step. Instead of preventing him from going by blocking his path she was left standing with a single step made inside the room. Her eyes flew wide. Slowly she could feel dread take over her and when she tried to listen, to really_ listen_ around herself, she couldn't hear much. All she could hear was the increasing flow of her beating heart.

Her hand flew out towards her collarbone, sliding lower, past the heart-shaped necklace around her neck, to her chest where her heart was beating crazily inside. "No no no." She started shaking her head as her breathing became irregular. "This can't be happening."

Damon stopped in the middle of the threshold when she saw Elena acting strange. His brows furrowed as he took a step back inside the room. "What's wrong with her?" he asked, while Stefan was behaving even more lost than he was.

"Elena? What's wrong? Are you hurt?" He tried to reach her but she only pulled her shoulder back, trying to avoid contact with him. "No!"

Stefan froze into place. He didn't know what had he done to get this reaction out of her. Everything was perfect not even an hour ago. So what was going on now?

"No no, this can't be happening to me," she repeated while still on the verge of hyperventilating. "How's this even possible?"

Damon was not sure what came over him to try the idea out but for some reason he went for it. Trying a tentative step forward, he was met by a glare from his brother and stopped. (Not that his baby bro's glare was anything even remotely scary but he didn't want to spook Elena further.) Though, the next move of hers, he didn't anticipate.

When she lifted her eyes to meet his, unlike the wariness he usually saw in them, this time he saw her desperation and plea. Somewhere inside him he felt his heart constrict at her expression but he didn't let it show on the surface. But he_ did_ try another step forward, this time ignoring Stefan's warnings.

"What's not possible, Elena?" he asked softly, taking a few more steps forward. When he was close enough to feel her breath on him and she still didn't back away, he pushed his buttons and raised his hand to touch her on the forearm. For a second there, she stiffened, and he was cursing himself for somehow going along with this haze the whole situation created in his mind but then to his utter surprise, she immediately relaxed, closing her eyes.

He dared a side-way glance to his brother's direction and was unsurprisingly met by a clenched jaw. He would be lying if he said that he didn't do a little victory dance in his mind from seeing dear saint Stefan so helpless while his precious love was seeking comfort in _him_. Not in Stefan. But somehow that feeling didn't last long. The need to help Elena was proving to be stronger.

Focusing his attention back on Elena, he waited for her to get her breathing back.

"I don't know what's happening here," she breathed out finally.

"And what_ is_ happening here, Elena?" he countered her in a soft voice.

"This! You, me, Stefan. I fell asleep with you yesterday and today I wake up with Stefan and human again!"

"What?" Stefan's voice cracked at the word as he looked at Elena with a distraught expression.

"Wait, wait, hold on a moment!" Damon released Elena from his grip to make a pause gesture with his hand. "As much as I am _pleased_ with the idea of you dreaming about me so intensely to not even different between reality and dreamland, what exactly do you mean "waking up human again"? What else you could be?"

"A vampire," Elena said in a firm voice, her eyes serious.

Damon only blinked a few times at her, but then he broke into a grin and let out a chuckle.

"Well, dear baby bro," he started casually and after reaching Stefan with a few steps patted him on the shoulder. "I gotta give it to you. Didn't expect you to be capable of messing with her head so much."

A frustrated huff, reached his ears. "I'm not delusional, _Damon_."

"'Course you're not." Damon turned a bit side-ways to give her a smirk. Then he spun around to face Stefan again, with a scandalous expression on his face. "Stefan! Have you been _compelling_ her?"

Stefan's previous stunned face turned into rage. "How dare you say that?! You know I would never-"

"Yeh yeh," Damon brushed him off. "Then stop _feeding_ her, whatever you're_ feeding_ her." He gestured casually towards Elena. "_She's going into crazy mode,"_ he whispered but it was enough for Elena to hear, and he was aware of that.

"I'm not_ feeding_ her anything strange, Damon," Stefan started again.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Damon apologized sarcastically. "Was it feeding _from _then?" He smirked at Stefan's warning glare.

Just when Stefan was ready to pounce Damon, and the vampire himself was having an amused predatory grin on his own face, Elena interrupted them with a loud shout. "Stop it! Both of you!"

Damon stopped his advance but was still facing his brother, his back on her.

Elena took a few deep breaths in. "I'm not going crazy," she started again with a serious expression on her face. "I don't know how I'm human or why you're somehow still looking for Katherine, of all people, but whatever this is? It's wrong. Because that's_ not_ what I went to sleep to. And I _know_ I'm not crazy because how else would you explain me knowing about Stefan being a ripper and Augustine Society," she finished with one breath and was waiting patiently for their reactions.

She only had a second to register what had she just said. _Augustine?_ How had she remembered that? And why was her summer just before her going to the freshman year in college felt more like a present than her and Damon being captured by Augustine. She didn't have long to ponder over that fact, because just as quickly, Damon spun around and sped over to her, taking her by the throat to the nearest wall. His eyes were wide open with a hint of unsealed pain underneath his rage. "How do you know about that?!"

"Damon!" Stefan tried to pull Damon away from her, but the older brother only pushed him aside with one hand, not breaking eye contact with Elena.

"Da…mon." She pushed on his hands, as his grip was incredibly tight on her. "Can't…brea…the."

Damon seemed to be oblivious to that, too much blinded by rage. "Damon!" Stefan shouted out. "Let her speak. You're crushing her! Please."

Damon was conflicted but he wanted answers so he dropped her on the ground and watched while she was getting her breathing back to normal.

"I let you go, so speak! How do you know about the Augustine?" His brows twitched in pain as he tried to suppress his emotions. "Are you working for them?" He almost chocked on his words, when his brain registered that what he asked may be very true and that the only person he came to even remotely start to believe in, was a cunning liar. And worst of them all. If they sent her to get him back to that place…

"No!" she shouted out, her eyes wide in disbelief. Her eyes didn't appear to be lying, but you can never know with those people.

"Who're the Augustine?" Stefan asked from the sidelines.

"Some place you _didn't_ need to know about, dear baby bro, and still _don't_." Damon dismissed him while still in a lock-of-gazes with Elena.

"Why would you say that? How could you_ possibly_ believe that I would be working for them?" Elena asked him in a slightly hurt voice.

"I haven't told _anyone_ about Augustine outside of that place. And by anyone, I _mean _anyone. So it's a bit hard to believe in a coincidence here."

"Ah." She closed her eyes, her forehead wrinkling. "That's because… I don't know how to say this." She opened her eyes and you could feel her frustration a mile away. "But this?" She gestured around the three of them. "Already happened for me. Years back."

Damon frowned. "What the hell are you babbling about?"

She took a deep breath in and turned her eyes towards him again. "I think I somehow traveled back in time."

"You did what?"

"I know about Augustine because… I was captured by them once in the future, with you, and you told me about them. About how you've been there for 5 years and how you switched your humanity switch off to get out of there. And about Enzo." She looked up at him tentatively and was met with a deathly glare of his. She swallowed, she couldn't help it, she wasn't used to seeing that kind of emotion from him directed at_ her_.

"I know you didn't want to leave him. But you had no choice."

Damon's lip twitched in a sarcastic way. "This's all sweet and dandy, but that doesn't exactly put you out of the suspicion list."

She pressed her lips together and nodded. With gathered resolve, she pulled her fingers around the lock of her necklace and unclipped it, taking the accessory down. Damon's eyes widened a bit but he remained locked to the spot.

"Elena, don't!" Stefan said in a warning, but she ignored him and threw it towards the bed, then faced Damon head on. "Ask me if I'm lying now."

She knew that the last time she did this, Damon still had some trust in her, so he didn't compel her. But this time would be different. But this was still _Damon_… and even if it _was_ his younger self, the more damaged self, she _had_ to put faith in him.

Damon tilted his head to the side, watching her like a predator prey. "You know, this's a dangerous play you're playing. I can make you do _anything_." He smirked at her.

"I know." She didn't back out. "But I trust you. Even if you don't trust me."

His smile only grew. "Well then, you don't mind me checking if you're not on vervain, do you?" He pulled his face closer to her and she could feel his breath on her. Despite his obviously less than honorable intentions, she couldn't help leaning into him or breathing him in.

"No. You can check," she whispered breathlessly.

"Damon, if you hurt her-" Stefan tried again to push him aside but animal blood was proving to be no match for Damon's long-time human-diet.

"Thanks for the meal." He smirked as he took her hand in his and went for her wrist. She gasped as his sharp fangs pierced her skin. She fed from him before but he never did feed from her. The experience was something new for her. Somewhere in the back of her mind she knew Stefan was still inside the room and was probably hurting to watch the scene play out so she didn't dare to look at him.

After a few sips he pulled away, a tad bit reluctantly, and his eyes seemed to hold something more conflicted than before.

He had her bare to the soul, for him to take her mind and somehow it made him reluctant to do so. But he had to. If she was working for Augustine… he had to know. He recollected himself and looked deep inside her eyes.

"You'll answer truthfully to me. Anything I may ask." His pupils dilated and her expression glazed. "I'll answer truthfully."

He swallowed, somehow hating seeing her like this. "Damon-" Stefan's warning voice echoed inside the room.

"She knows about you being a ripper, Stefan. She may not be what we think she is," he finished faintly.

"I don't believe that," Stefan argued.

"Well, let's find that out, shall we?" Damon asked casually and prepared himself for the question.

"How do you know about Stefan being a ripper?" He compelled her.

"A few years back, Stefan was back on the human blood," she said in monotone. "And he lost it. That's when you showed me his journal of his kills in 1920s and the list on the wall of the dead."

Stefan staggered back, like he was stabbed in the stomach. He couldn't believe he let her see this side of him. Damon looked at her just as surprised, but he pressed on. "How do you know about Augustine?"

"You told me. When we both were captured by them."

He swallowed. "And when was that?"

"2011."

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><p>Elena woke up in a warm embrace and smiled at the feeling. She pressed herself more tightly into his arms, wrapping her own around his. She felt content and safe and like she could stay like that forever.<p>

"Good morning, sunshine," a silky voice reached from behind her as his arms tightened their hold on her.

She stiffened at once. Her heart started pounding recklessly inside her chest and she bolted upright to sit up. When she was confirmed with the fact whom she woke up with, half naked, no less (as she saw her appearance) she screamed. Just as quickly she jumped out of the bed, covering herself with her both hands.

"Wha-what did you_ do_ to me!?" she demanded in a shaky voice.

Damon narrowed his eyes as he propped himself on his elbow. "Well… I think we both quite remember what we did tonight but if you need a reminder…" He smirked at her and for some reason her heart skipped a beat at that. "But then again," he sighed and started sitting up. Her eyes widened when she saw his very much naked self and she quickly turned away, her face heating up.

"As much as I would_ love_ to show you all the things we were up to just a few hours ago, you have somewhere else to be." He smiled regretfully at her as he put his pants on. She was shocked to see tenderness in his expression but she quickly got a hold on herself. What did he do to her? Why was she even here?

When Damon noticed Elena's outraged expression he was quick to add. "It was your idea." He put his hands in the air. "So don't go complaining to me now for leaving _all this_." He gestured around himself. "In exchange for some college experience."

_College?_ Her brows furrowed further and she only noticed him when Damon was already in the touchable zone of hers.

"Although." His arms came to rest on her hips. "I would be more than happy to change your mind." As his face was nearing her, she finally snapped out of it.

"Don't touch me!" She pushed him away harshly and surprisingly he staggered back. She blinked at that but then composed herself.

"Elena?" His uncertain voice didn't sway her. It didn't!

"What have you done to me, Damon? Where's Stefan?" She was bursting with rage now. "Oh god, you purposely did this to him, didn't you? Because you couldn't trust us enough so you had to be sure to ruin us before you got Katherine back."

Not that Elena was the most understandable person in the world, but now Damon was sure he had no idea what just happened to his girl. "Elena." He tried a step forward. "Could you tell me what's happening inside that beautiful head of yours, because I'm kind of lost here." He let out a nervous chuckle, as he watched her.

"It's true! Oh God, it all makes sense now. Why you even agreed with us in the first place." She was breathing heavily and she put her hand on her collarbone from nervousness only to be met by nothing. She froze. "Oh my God." She took a step backwards as her eyes widened in horror. "You…you compelled me." Her voice cracked at the realization. Damon's eyes narrowed as he watched Elena getting more and more into panic mode. "Just like what you did to Caroline." She shook her head at the thought of how her life was now ruined by one psychotic vampire.

Damon sped over to her, not being able to take this madness anymore. She screamed when she thought what he might do to her. "Elena. Elena!" He shook her by her shoulders and she was just shaking her head with her eyes closed.

"No no, let me go, let me go!" she cried out and pushed her hands towards his chest with all the force she had. She heard a loud crash and a groan echo from the other side of the room and when she dared to open her eyes, she saw Damon lying on the bits of pieces of the drawer.

Her eyes widened and she looked at her trembling hands. What was going on?

"Dammit, Elena," Damon cursed as he got up. She tried to flee the room but Damon was faster and serious now so, he trapped her between his hands with her back towards him. She was trembling like a leaf and he had no damn idea what the hell was going on. But he sure as hell was going to find out.

"Elena, talk to me. What's going on?"

"I'm not going to let you compel me again, Damon! I'm going to find Stefan and he's going to put you down."

"Do you care to tell me why you think you're still with Stefan?"

"_Still?"_ She turned around, outraged by his question. Only then she realized that it might have been a mistake to do because she was now in a very close proximity of the most beautiful blue eyes.

"And compel?" Damon frowned at her. "Elena, no one is _compelling_ you. You're a vampire now, remember?" he asked with a nervous smile on his face. He looked concerned if anything.

"A… vampire?" She blinked, not being able to believe what she was hearing.

"Elena, baby, honestly, what's going on with you? Why're you looking at me like I'm some kind of psychotic killer who compelled you to be here and taking the whole you being a vampire thing like it's a new thing? Much less, why in the hell would you bring that traitorous bitch in the conversation?"

"Traitorous bitch..?"

"Katherine, yes, or have you forgotten all her pleasant gifts of the years you got to know her?"

"Years?" She cried out in disbelief. "I haven't even _met_ her once, Damon! We were going to get her out of the tomb _today_, remember?"

"What're you talking about? That was _years_ back-!" But then something hit him. Her reaction to him, the things she said… It couldn't possibly be, right? But it would explain. "No." He shook his head as his face contracted in pain.

"W-what?" Elena's heart skipped a beat as she looked at his conflicted face.

"Please… please tell me the last thing you remember is not us trying to get Katherine out of the tomb," he pleaded her with every fiber of his being. It couldn't be happening. Not now. Not when finally everything was _right_ for them.

She looked up at him and he got what he feared most. "It is."

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><p><em><strong>to be continued...<strong>_ (if you want me to)


	2. Chapter 2

_**I just gotta say that wow, never would have thought a first chapter could get that much attention. Thank you for all the support! I hope you'll enjoy the continuation ^^**_

_**P.s. **I done some serious research on TVD timeline and for those who read the first chapter from the day one it was posted, I made a small change into making the year Elena was coming from 2011. True, it was 2013 in Our time, but in TVD timeline the time appears to be going a lot slower. Hence, the years are 2009(S1) and 2011(S5)._

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><p><em><strong>2011 - Boarding House<strong>_

He knew fairytales weren't real. He was_ aware_ that happy endings don't last long enough. But if he was being honest, he had just witnessed the shortest happy ending in his life.

She's been sitting in one place for hours. Her shoulders were painfully stiff, her hands firmly holding a cup of tea, and if she wasn't a vampire, at least in psychical form, because she sure as hell didn't appear as one from her emotional side, she would have started to feel sore long time ago.

He kindly offered her something stronger to drink, hell he wasn't wasting time taking a few shots himself, but she just politely refused and asked for tea. Something about "wanting something to warm her up." And let's not get started on how wrong that sentence sounded…

He didn't know where his life had gone wrong. _Again_.

How could you go from absolute bliss one moment to sheer terror the next? He guessed he was supposed to be used to it by now that the universe was dead set on making his life miserable but he wasn't. Elena changed that fact. That's why whatever situation he was having himself in right now, wasn't right on so many levels that he didn't know where to even begin counting.

He took another sip of his only shelter, his life-long friend bourbon, feeling the burn as it went down his throat and put himself together. It was really getting ridiculous. _What was this?_ Someone managed to yet again get between them; some pissed-at-him witch-y with black magic or another great evil befalling the great grounds of Mystic Falls.

Sure, the whole long-distance/college experience might have put one or two worry-lines on his forehead before but it was _them_. And after all the shit they've been through for the past couple of years, which was really non-arguably too much, it was finally their time and thus he swore to all the gods and the damn universe itself that he would make sure they would work out. Even with the big college-monster looming above them.

So whatever _this_ was, it had to stop.

With a deep breath he warily approached the couch where his angel was sitting at. He winced, when he saw her stiffen at his closing proximity, but didn't halt in his steps.

When he was close enough, he braced himself. He opened his mouth and wished something calm and reassuring to come out but all he managed was a breathless "_Elena_".

He grimaced, when her shoulders jumped, but relaxed a bit when he saw a shiver run down her body. At least he still had some kind of effect on her. He took it as a good sign.

She bit her lip nervously and said nothing. She was already running close to getting a bronze in "silent treatment" championship, if there was anything like that.

God, he just wished she would say something.

"Elena," he repeated this time in a stronger voice. "Please say something." He knew he was pleading but he could care less. He just wanted his girl back and if by plead-talking he would achieve that, he was up for it any day.

A deep sigh escaped her mouth. "I don't know what you want me to say, Damon."

"She speaks," he said in a small, relief-filled smile. And he couldn't help the chill run down his body from hearing that voice again.

"I just…" She bit her lip, her forehead creasing in deep thoughts. With a shake of her head she put the cup aside. "I can't keep my mind around it. I can see that the year is obviously not 2009 anymore, but it doesn't even _look_ like my world anymore. It's only been two years. So, how did I manage to die, leave the person I love and get together with you, of all people?" She let out a disbelieving humorless chuckle escape her lips. Damon winced at her words. He knew that Elena, _his_ Elena, who loved him, came to terms with immortality alongside him but somewhere deep inside him there still resided a doubt whether it was truly the best choice of living her life. And having Elena point it out to him, just made the uncomfortable feeling rise into the surface.

He saw her bit her trembling lip, her brows knitting together. "How did it even happen?"

Damon blinked a few times, not sure how to approach the subject. "Elena…" he sighed. "As much as I'd _love_ to share all the blazing details of our epic love story, I don't think you're quite ready to hear it."

She swallowed, nodding her head solemnly. "You're right. No, you know what? You're absolutely right." She chuckled helplessly. "I'm not. I'm not ready to hear that everything I've ever believed in managed to crumble in barely two years. Not to mention you… I was just starting to trust you. God, I didn't even _like_ you that way, let alone…" she trailed off, finding a lump in her throat from the sheer knowledge of what she was about to say.

He knew that _this_ Elena was nowhere near in love with him but it still managed to pierce right through his heart to hear her dismiss everything _he_ had believe in, everything _they_ had believe in in one breath.

Elena buried her face in her palms, resting them on her knees. "Why can't I remember, Damon?" she whispered almost inaudibly.

All he could do was swallow helplessly. He bent his head in a sigh. "I wish I could answer that, baby. But I'm just as clueless as you are."

She stayed still for a few moments but then let her hands drop from her face. A look of defeated acceptance clouded over her beautiful features and it took all his strength to not rush over to her and kiss her breathless to erase that horrible expression from her face.

With a sigh she turned her face to watch over the burnt out fire in the fireplace and wrapped her arms around herself, creating an ever more stiff picture of herself.

He couldn't take it anymore. After quickly placing the glass of bourbon on the table, he went over to her.

He cautiously knelt down beside her, tentatively placing a hand on her knee and squeezed it in reassurance. When she didn't react (which was…good, he supposed. At least she didn't swat his hand away), he raised his other hand to cup her cheek gently. "Hey," he called out for her softly while brushing his thumb gently over her cheek. With a bit of reluctance she turned her eyes to him, watching him with wariness but most of all just pure helplessness. His heart hurt at the sight as his brows furrowed. "We'll find out what happened," he started out in a strong, reassuring voice. "I'll fix this. And everything will go back to normal. I promise you."

He looked at her with such raw vulnerability and pure_ need_ to make her pain go away that it made her breath catch in her throat. He was in pain. And she wished she could help him but she just couldn't give him what he wanted. She was too much freaking out on her own.

"I'm _here_ for you. You should know that," he whispered softly while he regarded her tenderly, brushing her skin in soothing circles. "If there's _anything_ you need right now, you just need to name it and I'll get it for you. Free off charge." He grinned at her and saw how the corners of her lips curled up.

"And don't worry, I won't tell a soul that I just witnessed you smile." He smirked at her as she gave him a tilted-head pointed look.

"Really, though, tell me, is there anything you want me to do?"

She found it fascinating how time can change a person. She always knew there was something much deeper in Damon than what he was letting show on the surface but she never quite saw the depths of it. As she did today. She supposed she could find at least one good thing about this whole mess.

He was somehow... painfully beautiful. So earnest, vulnerable but strong too, someone you can depend on. But that also made him look unfamiliar... foreign to her. His... feelings, devotion to her was not something she was used to being directed at her so openly and it made her want to get away. It was just too much right now.

She swallowed and averted her eyes from his. "I want..." she started unsurely. "I'd like to... visit home." She nearly choked on the word _visit_. It was strange referring to her home, where she lived her whole life, as a place you get to visit once every other holiday. But judging from the nearly full closet in Damon's room_, their room_, the room she and Damon shared, her life was here now. She sighed. "I wish to see Jeremy. I know I only saw him like yesterday but I feel like I missed him. And, god, he's two years older. I can't wait to see how he's doing now. And aunt Jenna. She... didn't get married or something, did she?" she chuckled, casting a nervous glance at Damon.

Only then she noticed how dramatically had his expression changed. It looked torturous. She couldn't quite put her finger around it. It was like a deep dark shadow crossed his features for those few moments but then was gone just as quick. She frowned. "Damon?"

He blinked a few times and a lazy smile was soon replaced on his face. "Right. So little Gilbert. I think you'll find him doing just fine. In fact, we were promised a little of brotherly-bonding time while you'd be off enjoying the perks of joint-showers and naked-streaks," he quipped.

She smiled at him, letting herself breathe normally again. "It's a bit hard imagining you two getting along."

"Well, we had our times."

She raised a curious eyebrow at him but didn't probe further. "And aunt Jenna? Do I have another uncle I have to tolerate?"

His features froze for a second but he was quick to reply, "She's out of town."

"Really?" Her brows furrowed. "I don't remember the last time she had a vacation out of town."

"It's summer, Elena. I made sure to keep you available only to myself."

She blushed slightly under his gaze. He was showing her those same core-deep expressions again, which would probably make all the girls week in their knees. Not to mention envious to the bone. But her being happy about it was the last thing on her mind right now. Even if Damon _did_ make her feel somehow..._ something_, her heart still belonged to _Stefan_.

She could feel herself start panicking again and before she let herself have that, she briskly stood up. "I-I think I'll just go now. I'll be in my house if you need me." She gave him a small smile and tried to side-step him but was propelled backwards by a tug on her wrist.

"Wait, wait. Stop!" he called out in desperation. She lifted her eyes to meet his questioningly.

"What, what's wrong?"

How had the situation kept getting messier and messier by the second? He really wished the universe had less spare time than that. "He's on a... away-duty." He cringed under her dubious gaze. "It's true, he's out doing some... future-stuff, and not currently reachable. But I can easily _make_ him accessible you just need to give me a few hours and he'll be presented to you in a ribbon if you want."

"Damon," she sighed at him.

"Okay okay, I'll get a balloon too."

"Damon, I'm serious!" she huffed in a semi-serious annoyance.

"So am I!" he cried out innocently but then sobered down. "Honestly, just give me a few hours to give a heads up to the poor kid. It's not just you who's freaking out about the whole mess here, it's us too." He sighed in relief internally when he saw he was winning as she was already giving in.

"And actually, it's not even _remotely_ practical for you to go anywhere, because the little Gilbert lives here, with us."

That took her attention. "He lives here? In the Boarding House?"

"Yep. We're one big family," he pursued his lips, indicating each word separately.

She blinked a few times. "Oh. Wow. I mean... wow. Not that I think Boarding House isn't amazing itself but I'd never think my brother would actually sign up to live here. Did he run away from home or are you seriously that close now?"

"Well, let's just say, finally someone besides you noticed the liberties of living in a fully-furnished-never-supplies-lacking house." He gave her a smug grin and she just shook her head at him, rolling her eyes with a smile on her face.

"Fine. You win."

He smiled. "I know."

"Aren't you just full of it?"

"Nope, just enjoying the benefits of knowing someone for years." He closed his right hand above his heart and made a small mock-bow. She had to roll her eyes at him again.

"Fine. So, while you're out _hunting_ my brother, what am I supposed to do here?"

"That's why a good present always has a part two." He pointed at her playfully, a Cheshire cat grin on his face and Elena had to narrow her eyes at him suspiciously.

"Don't worry, you gonna love it, I made _sure_ of it." He gave her a meaningful look, gazing at her deeply and she tried very hard not to fall under his spell. "So, basically, while I'm fetching the baby Gilbert, I called someone to keep you company." He knew he made the right choice the moment her brown orbs seemed to light up at the words. He smiled at the sight.

"Who should arrive in about 5...4..." He started counting with his fingers. Elena stared at them appearing from the fist. "3... 2..."

The next moment a loud bang echoed inside the house as the hard-wood doors closed shut and soon enough a very much _not_ happy blonde stormed inside the parlor.

"One," Damon ended with a grin.

"You seriously got some nerve pestering me with all those messages." She had a determined furious look on her face, which made her oblivious to her all other surroundings. Her sole purpose grilling Damon alive. "Please, do tell me, what was _so_ important that I had to drive all the way down from Whitmore, when I _told _you not to disturb me?!"

"Hello, to you too, Blondie," Damon greeted her with a half-smile. "How was your trip?"

She gave him a warning look, crossing her arms. "You don't want me to answer that."

Damon smirked. "What, let me guess, flat tire?" he asked mockingly.

She huffed in annoyance. "Seriously? I was at a _meeting_ with my future _professor,_ when you started mail-spamming me. I was doing some serious my future-planing stuff but then I had to abandon it all only because you couldn't get the hint. So whatever _this_ is, it better be worth it or I swear to god am gonna make you pay," she finished with determined look on her face. Damon raised his hands in the air in mock-surrender.

"You know, you can always just compel the professor. No biggie," Damon said casually and before Caroline could retort added, "But to answer your question: it _is_ important." He looked at her meaningfully and she stopped, calculating him.

"Caroline?" A whisper came from the other side of the room.

Caroline spun around to see her friend pacing around nervously in place. She brushed it off and with a big beaming smile on her face just jumped her in a tight hug.

"Elena! Uff, it's so good to see you! I know you said you wanted all the time you had left of the summer in this solitude with Damon but I really think you missed out on decorating our dorm room. You should totally come see it. I made this-"

"Caroline," Damon interrupted her.

"What?" she replied with furrowed brows. "Do you mind? You had her all by yourself, _all summer_, now it's my turn."

Elena smiled at her friend. "It's good to see you too, Care." She bit her lip, glancing in Damon's direction.

"Caroline... excuse me for a second, I have to have a word with Damon." She shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot and went around Caroline towards Damon. It made Caroline look at her suspiciously.

When she was near him, Elena tried grabbing Damon and taking him further away from Caroline. They heard something like "Seriously?" coming out of the blonde's mouth as she watched them disappear in the hall.

Once they were hidden behind the wall, Damon turned to her. "I could think of a few very pleasant things we could be doing while hiding away from Caroline in a hallway but I'm guessing that's not on your mind. So what's up with all the secrecy thing?"

Elena looked around, unsure of herself. "I appreciate you bringing Caroline to keep me company, I do." She looked him deeply in the eyes to express her gratitude. "After all she's my best friend..."

"I see a big _but_ flying in my direction," Damon sang, giving her a tilted-head look.

"But." Elena gave him a pointed look. "Caroline... she doesn't know about anything. I'm surprised she's even talking to you after all you did to her but I guess time gives you that."

"Elena," Damon cut in, taking her attention. "That's exactly the point. It _has_ been _two years_." His eyebrows rose meaningfully. "She _knows_."

Her eyes widened. "Oh. Wow." Her brows furrowing. "Really? I always thought me and Bonnie would try to keep her out of this."

"Well, she might not be one of the best secrets-keepers but one has to when your head depends on it," he replied with a casual smirk and could swear saw her lips twitch in response too.

A annoyed huff reached their ears. "_Okay. That's it. I'm done pretending that this stupid wall you got between us is making me hear you any less. If you want to tell me something, just tell me. Don't pretend to whisper in a room full of vampires!_"

"Oh, no, she spotted us," Damon said in a mock-serious tone. "Guess she wins this round of hide and seek."

Elena rolled her eyes at him and went past him back inside the parlor. "Look, Caroline, I..." Then her brows furrowed. "Hold on. How did you even hear that?"

Caroline looked at her like she was insane. "Hello? Vampire hearing, remember?" She indicated to her ears and Elena's eyes grew twice the size.

"You are..." she trailed off. Just then she felt Damon step in behind her.

"Yeeeh. That's basically how she learnt all the secrets and joined our little gang. Can't really go running around screaming _vampires_ when you're one yourself now, can you?"

"Bu-but... how did this happen?"

"Ah ah!" Damon indicated a finger, stopping her questions. "Before we all go into twenty two questions and answers, I'll make it easier for you. Newsflash Elena. Blondie here is a vampire. Newsflash Blondie. Elena doesn't remember you becoming one because the last thing she remembers is me getting Katherine out of the tomb. Don't ask why. No idea. No clues."

"_What?_" Caroline whispered softly, her mouth hanging open. It took her only a second to gather herself together. "Oh my God. Elena. Are you okay?" She rushed over her friend, placing her hands on her friend's forearms, looking her for any injuries. Damon side-stepped them, going back to pour himself one more drink.

Her forehead was wrinkled as she had her mother's cop's features plastered on her face. "What did you do to her?"

Damon had to roll his eyes. "Are you freaking serious?"

Caroline turned to look at him, her hands falling from gripping Elena's arms. "What? I leave my friend for _all summer_ in your care and the next thing I know she has a severe amnesia case on her. What else am I supposed to think?"

Damon gritted his teeth, pressing his lips together in a tight smile. "Don't make me regret calling you."

Caroline rolled her eyes, not impressed by his threats in the least. "Fine. Tell me what happened."

Elena watched the two interact curiously. They were obviously still frenemies but at least she could see that neither posed any real danger to the other. Not that she was _worried_ of Damon being in any kind of danger. "We don't know, Caroline," she replied instead.

Caroline had her arms in the air. "But how can you not know? Surely your memories didn't just poof in the thin air."

"Well it certainly looks like that," Elena laughed bitterly.

Caroline stared at her for a moment but having gotten nothing more from her, placed her gaze on Damon. "So?" She crossed her arms over her chest.

"So," Damon started casually, after taking sip of the bourbon and placing the glass back down on the table. "I'm sure you two have lots of catching up to do and I _really_ need to get going on Jeremy-duty now, that's _why_ I'm leaving you with Blondie here and I expect _you_-" He looked pointedly at Caroline. "To be at your most sensitive and discreet self today, as much I know it might be hard to but try not to say anything _unnecessary_. You understand?"

She huffed. "Whatever do you mean unnecessary?"

"How about anything her dear aunt Jenna, who's having a _fabulous_ time traveling over the world, would think unnecessary?" Damon looked at her meaningfully and it finally clicked to her.

"_Oh_," she breathed out.

Damon gave her a discreet nod, a flash of pain rolling down past his features. "It has been a while after all," he whispered, not making eye contact with anyone. He then gave both girls a small smile and turned to walk down the hall way.

"Damon..."

He was already grabbing the door knob, when he turned, watching Elena in front of him.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure to get baby Gilbert back in one piece by midnight." He gave her his trademark smirk.

She smiled at him. "I'm not worried about that..."

His eyes widened a bit. "Oh."

"I just... I know I haven't been fair to you. I know I keep _hurting_ you and I'm sorry that I can't offer you anything more than my friendship, because honestly? That's all I remember of us having a shot at." She smiled sadly at him.

"Oh, well, talk about letting a guy down gently." He smiled at her but inside he felt something dying. How did he get back inside the friend-zone so quickly? The universe was a damn cruel place to live in.

"I just..." She brushed a lose string behind her ear. A nervous habit she had when she was human. He blinked a few times. It was still a wonder having her back to her human ways. To see her like that again. "I want to thank you," she said softly, making their eyes lock together. "For what you've done, doing for me."

A small, painfully tender smile appeared on his face. "Anytime," he whispered. His eyes traveled down her face, looking for any indication that she was gonna break the spell. But surprisingly she didn't. So he let himself have the moment. Her brown orbs were filled with curiosity and gratitude and, although, it wasn't anything near close enough to the depths he got used to seeing over the past months, he was still grateful for having any little bits of her.

He made a small step towards her, closing the distance between them. He heard her breath hitch when he was close enough to feel her breathing on his skin. He stood still for a while, trying to gauge her reaction but when she made no move to get away from him he took it a bit further. He slowly raised his right hand to cup her cheek gently. Her eyes followed its movement until she met his eyes again. A brush of her tender skin against his fingertips made his whole body tingle in anticipation, which sadly would be going nowhere. _Friendship_. That's all he was gonna get for now.

God, he couldn't believe just hours ago he had her all to himself. He was allowed to touch every little part of her body, to kiss her, to love her, to make her _his_. And how fast it all flew outta the window.

With a sigh he let his hand fall back to his side. "I'll see you later," he whispered with a small painful smile and walked out of the doors without getting her reply.

After leaving the Boarding House he only knew for the fact that he needed to fix this. And fast. Before the Pandora's box was opened and all hell went loose.

* * *

><p><em><strong>to be continued...<strong>_

And now, brush a review. Either criticism or love are both welcome! ;p


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